Visit by the Mayor of Matsue City, Mr UESADA Akihito to Ireland

On the morning of 3 February, the Mayor of Matsue City, Mr UESADA Akihito paid a call on Ambassador MIYAGAWA Manabu at his official residence during the Mayor’s stay in Ireland. They exchanged views on the present exchanges between Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture and Dublin City and Tullamore and prospects for further exchanges and cooperation. After the meeting, Mayor UESADA visitedthe Mansion House in Dublin to meet Lord Mayor Ray McAdam. Both Mayors reviewed the exchanges between both cities since the 1980’s, and exchanged views on possible future cooperation in areas such as cultural exchange, education and youth exchange, collaboration in industry and tourism, and cooperating with respect to environmental and sustainable city development amongst others. From the Embassy of Japan, Ambassador MIYAGAWA and his staff accompanied the Mayor’s delegation.  
Matsue is one of only three International Cities of Culture and Tourism in Japan along with Kyoto and Nara. It is the city where Lafcadio Hearn spent the happiest time in his life at the end of the 19th century. The Embassy of Japan will continue to cooperate whenever possible to further the development of Matsue City and Ireland, taking into account the upcoming 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ireland and Japan.